Derrek Lee hits 300th homer

Cubs first baseman becomes 126th player to reach number

Derrek Lee hit the 300th home run of his career Wednesday night, becoming the 126th player in Major League history to reach that number.

"I was aware, but I wasn't going up there thinking, 'Let's try to get to 300,'" Lee told MLB.com. "But now that I'm there, it feels good. It's a nice accomplishment. It says you've had success over a period of time. It's good."

Strasburg's debut leads to Letterman show: After his dazzling debut, Stephen Strasburg was asked to read the Top Ten list on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on Thursday night. The following list was compiled by USA Today.

The Top 10 Little-Known Facts About Stephen Strasburg:

10. To keep my focus on pitching I sleep on a mound of dirt.
9. Every morning I spread Icy Hot on my toast.
8. Got three of my 14 strikeouts while Twittering.
7. To celebrate my first big league win I bought a hot tub time machine.
6. I wasn't really good till I got bitten by that radioactive spider.
5. Dumb guys think I directed E.T.
4. I also scored the wining goal for the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup finals.
3. I blew my signing bonus on laser back hair removal.
2. Don't ever try to talk to me before a start or while I'm watching Glee.
1. If I would have known I'd be on Letterman, I wouldn't have pitched so well.

Moyer intrigued by father-son matchup: For Jamie Moyer, seeing his 18-year-old son, Dillon, get drafted by the Twins earlier this week made him a proud father. Could the two face off one day in the Major Leagues? The elder Moyer would love to see it happen.

"I thought it was pretty cool when Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr. were on the same team," Moyer told MLB.com. "You see the Hairston brothers are playing together. That's pretty unique. That's pretty cool. But a father-son thing? I think that's got to be pretty cool, whether you're playing together or opposing each other. I think if you're opposing each other, somebody's going to have some bragging rights."

Tabata enjoying the thrill of being called up: When Jose Tabata learned he was heading to the Major Leagues, the Pirates rookie was moved to tears. Then, when he was sharing with reporters that very story on Wednesday night at Nationals Park, it happened again.

"I just feel right now, like, wow," Tabata, smiling, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I'm excited. I'm happy with the job I did. And ... I don't know how to explain how I feel."

Wilton Lopez always ready for the call: Wilton Lopez has something every manager wants in his club's bullpen.

"He's a guy that, if you want to talk about a rubber arm, he's the closest that we have to that," Astros manager Mills told the Houston Chronicle of Lopez, who had pitched in 11 of the last 21 games entering Thursday.

Lopez rejoined the Astros on May 4, and in his last 10 appearances he has a 1.69 ERA, allowing only two runs in 10 2/3 innings and picking up two wins.

"I told him I'm good to pitch all the time," Lopez said. "The big thing for me is I feel they have confidence in me in tough situations. So far, it has worked out for me."

Angels have a new Francisco Rodriguez: The Angels' "new" Francisco Rodriguez joined the organization in 2006 after pitching for six seasons in the Mexican League.

"I was working on my fastball command in the Minor Leagues, and I'm doing better with that," Rodriguez told the Los Angeles Times. "When I'm hitting my spots with the fastball, the cut fastball and curve work better."

"It's kind of funny being here with the same team and the same name and following [in] those big footprints he left," Rodriguez said of former Angel and current Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez. "But I'm not trying to be like him. He's a great reliever. I really enjoy watching him pitch."

Surging Hamilton finds homestand success: Josh Hamilton has been torrid (9-for-21 with three home runs and 10 RBIs) in the first six games of the Rangers' homestand and is now hitting .304 with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs.

"The biggest thing I'm trying to do is get me to realize how quick my hands are," he told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about his current streak at the plate. "I feel better, as far as pitch recognition. I think I'm finally figuring out how to adapt my batting stance."

Hamilton has dropped the toe-tap timing mechanism he used at the plate among other adjustments.

Sean Rodriguez finding comfort at the plate: Entering Thursday's game against Toronto, Sean Rodriguez was riding a 10-game hitting streak in which his average had climbed to .264. On Wednesday, he went 3-for-4, matching his career high in hits for a game, with two doubles and three RBIs.

"I'm realizing a lot of things offensively that I never really knew, reaching a comfort level I've never been at," Rodriguez told the St. Petersburg Times. "It's really exciting."

Garret Anderson still enjoying the ride: For the first time in his career, Garret Anderson is not an everyday player. The soon-to-be 38-year-old is taking more time to enjoy things this season with the Dodgers, knowing that it could be his last in the Majors.

"I do have fun," Anderson told the Los Angeles Times. "Not playing every day, I can probably clown around a little more. But when it gets to the fourth or fifth inning, that's over with. I'm concentrating."

"As you get older, you appreciate things more," Anderson said. "When you're younger, I think you're more trying to prove yourself, prove your worth, going out there, making your living. So many more things on your plate. When you get older, you've done that already and it's like, 'OK, I want to enjoy this.' I've enjoyed it the whole way."

Gio Gonzalez takes honest approach to hitting: Most pitchers like to talk about their hitting prowess but Gio Gonzalez wasn't kidding himself as he prepared for his start Friday in San Francisco against Tim Lincecum.

"You act like you're on it, but then when you really see a ball, it's really on you," Gonzalez, whose last at-bat as a professional came in 2006 when he was with Double-A Reading of the Phillies farm system, told the Oakland Tribune. "Most of the time, we act like we want to hit home runs and stuff like that, but we're just trying to produce."

Carlos Guillen not worried about settling in: It's become something of a tradition for Carlos Guillen to switch positions from year to year, so his move to second base this season for the Tigers couldn't really be considered a huge shock, even if this too may only prove temporary.

"I don't know for how long," Guillen, who has move from shortstop, to first base, to third base, to left field, to designated hitter, and now to second base since 2007, told the Detroit News. "I'm happy to have some place to play."